Method of and apparatus for preparing and supporting frozen edibles



H. C. MURPHY Feb. 5, 1935.

\ METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND SUPPORTING FROZEN EDIBLES Filed July 20, .1932

HarUQy ak 21,553

' Figure 1 i an axial Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,990,198 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR. PREPAR- ING AND SUPPORTING FROZEN EDIBLES Harvey Clyde Murphy, Evanston, Ill., assignor, by reef; and mesne assignments, of 50 per cent to Emerson Bard Priddy and 20 per cent to Sara Lucile Priddy, both of Chicago, 11].; per

cent to Gordon C. Graham,

Evanston, Ill.; and

per cent to General Engineering Works, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 20, 1932, Serial No. 623,548

5 Claims; (01. 10 7-19) This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for preparing frozen confections or edibles in small units and to means for supporting each unit in the hand .while being eaten.

vmestic mechanical refrigerator, utilizing the shallow freezing space which is customarily provided in such refrigerators for insertion of cellular trays to freeze ice cubes.

Another object is to provide a method and apparatus by which an anchor element is frozen into each unit to provide means of attachment of a handle by which the frozen unit may be supported in the hand while being eaten.

A further object is to provide a support for the frozen unit which includes an anchor element wholly or partly embedded in the frozen unit, a handle having a jointed connection with said anchor element to serve as a support for the frozen unit, and a drip pan ,also supported by the handle in a position below the lower endof the frozen said unit access to sumed.

unit so as to receive drippings from as it melts without obstructing free all parts of the unit while being concharacter means for insulating the anchor element from the handle so as to prevent the conduction of'heat from the handle to the anchor element and thereby avoid loosening of the frozen unit from the anchorby melting of said unit.

Ancillary objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

sectional view illustrating a frozen edible unit produced in accordance with this invention and showing the unit mounted upon a handle in readiness to be eaten.

Fig. 2 is an axial sectional ,view showing the frozen unit in the container or. mold before removal.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views illustrating a I modified form of anchor element and its relation to a supporting handle and a container.

'Figs. 5 and 6 are views illustrating another.

modification of an anchor element. Figs. 7 and 8 illustratestill another modification of an anchor element.

Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively a plan view and Another object is to provide in a support of this atures, in which case it is a fragmental elevation of the structure shown.

in Fig. 8.

My invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions and although I shall herein describe some of the preferred forms I would have it understood that the invention is not limited to the present disclosure and that I aim to cover in the appended claims all modifications, alternatives, and equivalentsfalling within the scope of the invention.

In preparing frozen edible units in accordance with my invention I or a series of such containers or molds of such depth and dimensions that they may be readily inserted intov the shallow space commonly provided'inthe low temperature zone of a domestic mechanical refrigerator, which space is usually employed to receive a cellular tray or trays for freezing ice cubes. the containers or molds are designated 11. In each container I place an anchor element of such shape and dimensions that it will be receivable with the container into the refrigerator space reprovide a container or mold In Figs.,2, 4, 6, 8 and 9 ferred to. The form of the anchor element andv I its relation to the of anchors, the one shown in Figs. 1 and 2, however, being the form which I prefer. The anchorelements are equal in number to the containers, that is one anchor for each container, and each anchor is placed in the container in such position thatit will be wholly or partially immersed in the edible, designated 12, when poured into the container in fluid or plastic condition. -The containers with the fluid edible and the anchors therein are then placed in the freezing space in the refrigerator and allowed to remain there until the edible has been frozen or chilled into a condition which is solid or sufliciently solid to permit the edible and'the anchor to'be removed as a unit from the container and to cause the frozen edible to hold firmlyftto the anchor element. When sufiiciently frozen or solidified, the containers are removed from the refrigerator and each frozen unit with its embedded anchor is removed from the container. ,j 'I'h'e units are then ready to be eaten.

In preparing certain kinds of edibles. such as candy, the material will solidify at room tempernot necessary that the material be frozen or chilled in arefrigerator.

To facilitate handling-the units while being eaten, I provide a support or handle, which will presently be described in detail, and which is arranged to have a jointed connection with any ofthe anchor elements,

upper section 14 which may also the form of a occupy the centri portion of and I provide on the handle a saucer-like receptacle to receive drippings from the edible unit as it melts.

Referring now to the details of construction which have been illustrated in the drawing as exemplifying my invention, the support comprises a lower handle section 13 and an upper section 14 which are herein shown as connected together by a screw 15 solidly seated in the handle portion 13, which may threaded at its upper end in a 16 fixed in the be of wood. 1'7 designates a metallic ferrule on the upper end of the handle 13. I

A receptacle or drip plan 18 which may be of saucer-like form with an inturned lip 19 at its upper edge, has a central aperturetreceiving the screw 15, the bottom of said receptacle being clamped between the two sections support.

In the upper end of the section 14 is a screw 20 solidly seated in the wood and projecting upward to provide a stud for reception in a screw threaded socket in the anchor element.

The anchor element 21 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a base portion which may be in long narrow bar, the lengths of which is s ch as to fit snugly within the bottom of the mold 11 with the bar extending cally across the mold. prises a neck portion with an enlarged head at the end thereof, the. upper end of the head being shown as having a recess or concavity therein to receive an article 22 such as a cherry, a piece of candy, orif desired a prize, which will then the frozen edible unit. Whenthe frozen unit and its embedded anchor have been removed from the container 11, the unit may bequickly mounted upon the support by turning the screw stud 20 into the socket in the anchor 21.

With this form of anchor element the anchor is first placed in the bottom seen Fig. 2, and the fluid edible is then poured into the container. The anchor is of heavy material such as metal so that it will not float but will seat snugly on the bottom wall." The air which fills the screw threaded socket in the anchor will thus be trapped to provide an air cushion acting to prevent liquid further insure against the approach of liquid into said socket I provide a shallow recess. in the bottom of. the anchor immediately surrounding the socket so as toenlarge the body of air which will be trapped and to prevent the liquid from Thus when of ice over the socket which might interfere with the insertion of the stud 20thereinto. The side walls of the container 11 are preferably flared upwardly to facilitate removal of the frozen unit from the container and it will be not-ed that when the unit is mounted on the support the sides of the frozen unit taper downwardly which taper assists in insuring that drippings. from the unit will ceptacle 18. It will be noted flow into the realso that the receptacle 18 is positioned in a plane substantially heat-insulating material,

below the anchor and the frozen material so that the receptacle does not obstruct free access to the frozen material while being eaten.

.The section minimizes the conduction of heat from the.

wood,

the'users hand into the anchor elesupport or 13, 14 of the- .of a material having a specific The anchor further com- 1 of the container, as-

form of anchor may have a screw stud melted portions or I pose of prevent g drippings ment 21 and thereby prevents rapid melting" of the frozen material at its area of contact with the anchor so its firm grip uponthe anchor until fully conwill be noted that the bar-like base portion of the anchor, extending as it does diametrically-across the lower end of the frozen unit prevents rotation of the unit relative to the anchor. v

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the anchor 23 comprises a shank with an enlarged head at one end and a threaded other end which threaded portion is adapted to be received in a threaded metallic bushing '24 fixed in the upper end of theupper section 14 of the supporting handle. As seen in Fig. 4, this anchor is placed in the container 11 with its head portion resting on container. The anchor is made of a; length approximately equal to the depth of the container or at least such that the threaded portion of the anchor may readily extend above the level of the fluid edible when the container is nearly full of such edible.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and anchor 25 is generally similar .in form and size to the anchor shown in Figs. 1 and 2 but is made gravity less than fluid edible which would be placed that cit any thatthe anchor will float on in the container so the surface of such portion of the anchor at the surface of the fluid and with the neck and head portions hanging downwardly therefrom. The anchor carries a screw threaded stud 26 which'is receivable in a threaded bushing 24 in the support in the same manner as described in connection with Figs.'3 and, 4. I

In the modification shown in Figs. '1 to 10, theanchor element 2'? comprises a base or bar portion 28 of such length as to fit diametrically within the upper end 'of the container 11 and to be supported thereby. may have notches 29v tions 30 on positioning projecting from thebar shown in Figs. 1 and 5 and it may 31 toengage with a support the same manner as described in connection with Figsiitofi.-

In the man acture of this apparatus 1 have provided a setconsisting of five containers 11, five duplicate anchors and one support on which any of the anchors with the frozen unit thereon may be mounted The containers 11 may either be individual and separate from each other or they may be made in the form of a tray with individual cells therein.

I also contemplate that the anchor elements, the supporting handles, and the receptacles 18 may be made of such inexpensive materials and construction that the composite device with the frozen edible unit thereon may constitute an article ofmanufacture to be sold as retailers. The particular structure shown in the present drawings is more especially intended for a their children.

from the frozen unit from falling upon the childrens' clothes and carpets or furniture.

that the frozen material maintains portion at its fluid with the base or bar an entity by The receptacle 18 serves the purhandle by which the edible I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a container, an anchor element arranged to bear against an inner wall of said container and to interlock with solidified edible in said container, said anchor element having a socket therein facing the said wall of the container which socketis constructed to receive a may be supported in the hand while being eaten.

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a fluid container, an anchor element resting on the bottom of said container having an anchoring portion to interlock with frozen fluid in said container, said anchor further having a handle engaging socket and an immediately surrounding shallow recess in its lower side facing the bottom of said container, said socket and recess containing an air cushion acting to prevent the entrance of fluid from said container into said socket.

3. A holder for a frozen edible unit comprising, in combination, an anchor element having a portion securely embedded in said unit, a support comprising a lower handle section and an upper section secured together, means providing a movable joint between said upper section and said anchor element, and a drip pan mounted on,

said support and having its bottom wall clamped between said two sections thereof. I a

' interengagement to position the anchor member 4. An apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a fluid container, an anchor adapted to rest on the bottom of the container and to be covered by fluid, said anchor having a handle-engaging socket opening downwardly to retain the air therein as the anchor is covered by fluid and thus prevent clogging of said socket by fluid.

5. An apparatus for use in preparing a frozen edible unit comprising, in combination, a con- 10 tainer for holding the edible material while being frozen, an anchor member receivable within said container in position to be embedded in the edible material while being frozen, and'a handle member structurally separate from and detachably 15 engageable with said anchor member to facilitate withdrawal of the frozen unit from'the container and to support the frozen unit while being eaten,

said anchor and handle members haying thereon coupling'elements comprising a stud and a socket 20 shaped for detachable interfitting engagement with each other, said container and said anchor member being dimensioned and constructed for with its handle coupling element exposed at one surface of the frozen unit ready for attachment of the complementary coupling element on the handle member.

HARVEY CLYDE MURPHY. 

